All references cited in this specification, and their references, are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for teachings of additional or alternative details, features, and/or technical background.
Disclosed is device that accepts coins in a container which can be characterized in general terms as a “coin bank.” The presently disclosed container device, however, performs the function not only of a “bank” where coins may be deposited, but also the function of a dispenser where the coins are dispensed in a pre-determined manner from a stack of auto-arranged coins.
Generally, conventional coin banks are known in the art. Jerzy Perkitny of U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,509 provides a coin bank including a housing having a coin receiving area for receiving unsorted coins, a coin sorting area for sorting the unsorted coins and a coin storage area for storing sorted coins. The coin storage area includes a drawer slideably mounted in the housing and a coin tube support movably mounted in the drawer between a first position, when the drawer is fully retracted into the housing and a second position, when the drawer is fully extended from the housing. A plurality of coin tubes is mounted in the coin tube support for holding sorted coins. The plurality of coin tubes is inclined in relation to a vertical axis for receiving sorted coins when the drawer is in a retracted position. A reservoir is located directly above each of the coin tubes for holding at least one additional coin above a stack of coins completely filling the coin tube
Susan P. Beacham, et al., of U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,619 discloses a compartmented bank for holding money to be used for saving, spending, donating, investing or other budgetary purposes. The bank is shaped like an animal and comprises a hollow body and four feet. Each compartment communicates with one of the feet so that money deposited into each compartment can be dispensed through an opening in a corresponding foot. The external surface of the body bears indicia indicating the budgetary purpose of the money placed in each compartment
Takashi Shinozaki, et al. of U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,237 discloses a coin stacking apparatus including a conveyor for conveying coins edge-wise one at a time and delivering each of the conveyed coins in its horizontal position. A receiver receives the coins from the outlet end of the conveyor in a stacked condition. The receiver includes two endless belts running along the length of the receiver and cooperating with each other to form a coin receiving space there between. Each of the endless belts has a supporter extending therefrom. The supporter includes a surface on which the coins are to be placed. The surface is inclined upwardly and forwardly relative to the direction of the conveyor.
Ted Wekstein of U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,570 teaches a device for depositing and retrieving coins comprising a generally conical-shaped, upstanding body having an exterior tapering to a larger diameter from top to bottom and a header portion at the lop of the body for depositing the objects. A downwardly and outwardly spiraling ramp, below the header portion, extends at least once around the exterior of the body. The ramp cooperates with the exterior of the body on the inside and a lip on the outside to guide the objects as they roll downwardly by gravity. The ramp may include an upwardly extending portion at the lower end of the generally conical-shaped body for launching the objects through the air into the open tray, and/or a staircase portion on the spiraling ramp. A tray adjacent the bottom of the body receives the coins from the ramp.
More specifically, Wekstein describes a device 10, as shown in FIG. 1. The upstanding body portion 20 tapers from a small diameter or width at the top to a larger diameter or width at the bottom. A header portion 30 is disposed at the top of the body portion 20, and functions to receive the coins deposited by the user of the device. Header portion 30 includes a frontward facing vertical face 33 upon which a coin 40 may be placed by the user's hand. Spaced outward from the lower front portion of surface 33 is header wall 35, positioned a sufficient distance such that, when released, coin 40 passes between 33 and wall 35, and out through a slot (not shown) at the lower end of the header portion 30. Traversing around the exterior of body portion 20 in a generally downwardly spiraling configuration is coin ramp 25. According to Wekstein, a coin 40 may roll on its edge along ramp 25, and is guided on one side by the exterior surface of body portion 25 above the ramp, and on the other side by an upstanding ramp guidewall portion 27 on the body portion 25 below the ramp, as shown in FIG. 1. The upper portion of ramp 25 is disposed to receive coin 40 as it drops from header 30 and begins its travel down the ramp. After exiting the ramp, the coins are caught or received in an open coin tray portion 50, which extends outward from the lower part of body portion 20, and is configured for ready access by the user's hand to retrieve coins deposited therein.
It will be evident to those skilled in the art that conventional devices for depositing or dispensing coins are generally configured to be bulbous for housing the deposited coins in a random manner, and convoluted for dispensing them. Also, it is usually difficult to visually keep track of the deposited coins in conventional coin banks. What is needed is an Auto-Arranged Coin Stacker and Dispenser device that is capable of stacking and saving coins automatically in a row and columnar configuration while being aesthetically displayed for ever-present visible accounting of the contents, and enabled to dispense coins sequentially and on demand when a gate is actuated by a latch.